Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-10
For the Sum ay Gazette.
RHYMES OF THE Road.
W, L. SANFORD.

The sun DER the prairies was creeping to rest
Mid the gold crest ed clouds Of the purple west,
And over the valleys there fingered the light
And the gracious warmth of his smile Of good
night,
AS drew up my team at the inn Corey Deer"
In a country town on the Texas frontier.
Both weary and hungry, hailed with delight
The hot savory viands that greeted my sight
Appeasing my hunger, thought me TO find,
In q fragrant cigar. some comfort of mind;
When 1 learned from my host, as he sauntered
within,
That dance was on docket that night at the
Inn.
Now canoe, of all things, is what pleases ne
most
And this dance, Of all others, was not to be lost.
So polished my boots and tOuId me a seat,
And silently watched the gay tripping of feet;
And puned my havana, and viewed with the
eye
Of drummer, the girls as they fitted by.
The town folks were there, with each face
beaming bright,
And the Chickasaw elite were present that
night;
And the cowboys were there IN their brown
duck pants,
And the changing of spurs WAS heard in the
dance.
The fiddler played fast and his cheek was
aglow,
And Joy was unbridled as night winds that
blow.
There was one who danced IN the stirring quad
rifle
Who caught my attention IN spite of my will.
Who skipped DER the floor Hke fairy of old
With magical g-ace that can scarcely be told.
Her laugh was so artless-so winsome her ways
That she Of all others attracted my gaze
And it followed her thro' the maze Of the set
Then all of a sudden our wandering eyes met.
Somehow can't write how 1t happened that
night,
But when tie sa "Ladiee, swing off to the
right"
She threw DER her shou' der at me such a
glance
That swore then and there with her 1 would
dance.
That set over, a fellow approached with a
smile,
"Say, pard, would you like for to try 1t awhile;
Come, I'll show you gal; that is, If by chance
You would like to flourish your hCOf in the
dance"
mo, thank you," said 1; but I caught then
the bright,
Persuasive dark eye, and I answered, All
right"
AS kind fates had decreed, was led to the girl
Who already held captive my heart in the curl
OF her glossy black hair; and l smile even yet,
How 1 stammered that night when l begged
for V SCI.
he music awOke a gay measure again,
And nimbly our feet moved to the quick strain.
How soft was the hand that was placed into
mine;
Aye, redder the lips than the reddest of wine,
That rippled a laughter which yet, like stream
OF murmuring song, flows on thro' my dream /;
And the shadows Of life evanished the while,
In the radiant light of the wonderful smile.
And languor and weary melted away,
My thoughts were as bright as clear summer
day.
And my heart strings throbbed q livelier tune,
Than the uncaged birds in the sunshine of
June;
And my soul was stirred with a strange delight,
AS led the lass In the dance that night.
I have mingled with ladies of queenly estate
l have WALKED in the Iapestried halls Of the
great,
Where the eyes of the brave on the beautiful
fell,
And led in the german a millionaire belle;
Where the chandeliers light, as 1t flashed DER
the floor,
Was paled by the CLEAN of the gems which she
wore.
But my soul never thrilled with half the glad
sense,
Of the fuIuess of Iife-nor with JOY so intense
My face never glowed as it shone that night,
By the fidde's music and dim candle light;
/ dan ed with the Pirl with the soft raven hair,
IN q, country town on the eXas frontier.
ShsrmaD, Tex, April 6, 1887.